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Saturday, 4 April 2009

3 NEW PALACE CAMELS (6 1/2" by 6 1/2 ") have arrived! And the Prince is mighty pleased for this means that the palace wealth will be regarded as having tripled. You see, a Maharajah's prosperity is also judged by the size of his stable. A mighty collection of elephants and camels will add to his stature and lend much weight to his majestic allure.This is especially important at a time when the rumours are abound on why there is no palace in sight. There are much suspicions (and rightly so!) that the Maharajah's coffer is unable to afford the Rp 10 lakhs (1 lakh =1 million) required to rebuild the palace to its deserving splendour.

But what better way to dispel all that "crazy talk" and show off your wealth than to have your decorated camels line up in a procession of welcome each time you purport to visit the site of the "most splendorous palace ever, coming soon". Even if it means travelling in surreptitious and mysterious shroud to hide the true purpose of why the Prince acquire "the ships of the desert", as these camels are also known.

And so, the mystery will slowly unfold, as you follow Jai, who has been quickly summoned to make a final inspection and ensure that the appropriate decorations befitting of the Maharajah's Palace has been carefully placed on the camels. He is also to load enough provisions to prepare them for "The Journey".

At this juncture, you may wish to know that the camels found in India are the single-humped camels, also known as the dromedary camels. Long-curved neck, deep-narrow chest and a single hump characterize our Indian camel. The hump is used by the camels as reservoir of fatty tissues. In times of scarcity, the tissues are metabolized and the camel receives energy. The size of the hump is not the same in all the camels and they differ, depending upon its nutritional state. When a camel starves, the hump can get reduced to almost a non-existent size.

It is with very careful selection that the Prince is able to acquire 3 camels with almost identically sized humps. This is for more "gasp value" as one can't help sucking in one's breath when you sight the perfect symmetry of the camel convoy treading in the harsh but breathtakingly beautiful desert landscape of Rajasthan. (Please emit the appropriate gasp at scene below, much obliged)

You may also wish to note that the Indian dromedary camels have a heavy growth of hair on throat, shoulder, and hump, which is longer than the rest of the body. On an average, the camels in India live for a period of 40 to 50 years. They are widely used by the people of Rajasthan as a means of transportation. Indian camels also provide humans with milk, meat, wool, leather and fuel (from their dried dung).

And while you watch the night and day and then night again, travelling of these camels, you try hard not to yawn..

Here's some more "interesting" faqs about India's dromedary camels to help keep you awake

Behaviour

Dromedary camels can be usually seen in groups, consisting of anywhere between two to twenty members. In every group, there is one male member who dominates the rest of the members, which comprise of females, sub-adults and young ones. While moving in a group, one can see the dominant male directing the group from the rear, while the female members lead at the front.

Mating Behaviour

Indian camels attain maturity at the age of 4 to 5 years. They give birth to one offspring at a time and the gestation period is around fifteen months. The young ones are raised by their mother for a period of two years after their birth, after which they attain adulthood.

Camels have the ability to endure wide changes in their body temperature as well as water content. Their body temperature may vary as widely as being 41 deg C (106 deg F) in the daytime and being 34 deg C (93 deg F) at night. Only when they cross this limit do they begin to sweat, thus helping them save up to five liters of water in one day. Indian camels can cope up with as much as twenty-five percent weight loss, caused by sweating. The thick coat of a camel reflects sunlight and serves as insulation from the heat of the sand.

After travelling with our 3 friends for 3 days, here's your reward, for surviving this arduous journey thus far. An invitation to share in the splendid spread from Kiva's Kitchen. Enjoy!

Would it believe it? I fell asleep reading my own post but sometimes I amuse myself this way..LOL

Got these camels at a old Chinatown shop. Its an amazingly weird shop and if you don't mind weird, I don't mind sending you something from there. Not sure if they still have the camels cos Prince bought the last 3 perfect humpies for the palace.

Hey Daisy & Meil! Nice to see you here :D. I love these camels too..thought for a long time before I bought them because I am running out of space due to the population explosion at the still to exist palace! I succumbed because they are of perfect scale and so gorgeous I knew I may not find them again..

San, just how big are the camels and are they lightweight. Because I saw an elephant (same sort of style I think) in a shop here the other day. It was really light (aha! cheap to post I thought!)...although I'll have to go back and see if it's Indian!Mercedes

Hey Merce, the camel is 6 1/2" (highest) and 6 1/2 (widest) but darling, we have plentyyyyy of eles here. So don't bother. You know how I simply have to start building something for the pretty things you send me and I really should start on Bombay T Leaves asap. I have yet to post so many of the wonderful things you send because I can't build fast enough!!

Eva, don't hold your breath ok? I think my palace will take a while.LOL but plz pop by often to see the annexes and everything else.

I'm the only one who has not written to you. Shame on me!! but we kept in touch anyway. Are you sure that your Maharaja deserves so much health? Isn't he a lusty, nasty fellow? I hope that at the end justice will be done!

Rosanna, I am sorry but I have come to expect comments from you and I do not create a new post until you do..LOL, 1/2 truths- but no pressure.

Actually, I have not written about THIS Maharajah yet, the Maharajah whom I am building the palace for. I have only written about Prince Raj who is his son- who is evil, at the moment. Prince Raj is only a Rajah, both in name and title, not "MAHA"-Rajah.

The "evil Maharajah" I wrote about is my carpet trader (who will live in a haveli not a palace") By the way, "evil Maharajah" will eventually fall madly in love with Satine, a beautiful cabaret mega-star who is to be in this musical "Spectacular! Spectacular!" and I will also have to do her room..

Is this Indian epic very complicated? Its supposed to be. If I don't keep this journal, even I lost track of who's who.

Can you imagine I even forgot Jai is "Jai" and not "Jaya"?? I only just changed it after reading Sumaiya's comment.

HI SUMAIYA!

My friend Chris (see my last post on my projects blog) wanted to borrow your dolls. I gave him an incredulous look and told him quite rudely "ABSOLUTELY NOT!"..haha. I also told him there is NO WAY he can ever do the henna. Anyway, he is sick with envy.

By the way, I swear by Kiva's food. Her nann even FEELS like the real thing. It is so soft to the touch. You saw how I was playing with them in the pic above?

I am afraid all these travelling has messed up Jai and Raj's hair and clothes a bit. They are back in the box (I won't display them yet thanks to dust and moisture).

I really enjoyed my meal, what a wonderful selection on food, thank you so much. I saw a camel as we entered the great well of China years ago, they are so interesting to watch. Yours are so beautiful, they must look so proud and graceful as they walk.

I love how you displayed Kiva's fantastic food, it's so great that Raj and Jai is able to hold the nan breads in their hands! I love the camels too! They look so proud and regal, I think they really will get rid of all rumours of the Maharajas unability to pay for the palace, even if there should be any truth to them. lol! (Hilarious story Sans!)

ME

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These blogs chronicle my journey into the wonderful world of miniatures.
"The Beginning" is the prequel to it all, the one that triggered my obsession with the weird and wonderful world of doll houses.
"My Maharajah's Palace" is a journal of the trials and tribulations en-route to the building of my Indian Palace.
"Projects, Musings & AOB" is like my workroom or scrapbook of anything minis.